Latin America

“Latin America” is a permanent exhibition which is mainly focused on traditional culture of Mexican and South American Indians. The earliest pieces date back to the second half of the 18th century, most of the other were acquired in 19th –early 20th century. The exhibition also presents twentieth-century folk art of Mexico and Guatemala.

Some of the pieces have not been on display for over a hundred years. These include ritual barkcloth fabrics from the Northwest Amazonia; ceramic, bottle gourds and other objects of the Caduveo Indians from the Brazil-Paraguay border that demonstrate a peculiar decorative style; Peruvian wooden beakers of the mid–19th century; a shaman costume and ritual objects of the Western Mexico Indians; Shuar and Munduruku trophy heads.

Visitors can see the highlights of museum collection – a ceremonial dress of a Munduruku chief and other feather ornaments brought from Central Brazil by participants of Georg Heinrich von Langsdorff’s expedition (1821-1828), as well as a costume of a Chamacoco shaman from Paraguay (early 20th century).

The exhibition is organized on the geographic principle. Indigenous cultures of Chili, Argentina, Peru, Panama, Mexico, as well as pieces of Mexican and Guatemalan folk art, are displayed as special thematic bloks. The Caduveo Indians, whose decorative style contains motifs typical both for Amazonia and for Central Andes, and the collections from South American Lowlands to the east of the Andes are also here.

View of Latin American exposition

Picture made by pressing strands of yarn into beeswax spread on a plywood board and showing a mythical figure. Huichol, Western Mexico, third quarter of the 20th century